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THE simple gesture of planting a tree took on major significance when a small but passionate crowd gathered at Buderim's Wirreanda Park to commemorate Sorry Day yesterday.

In a moving ceremony, Brianne Jones of the Kabi Kabi people and author Robin Wells yesterday planted three hairpin honeysuckles as part of the Buderim 150 celebrations.

The name Buderim is Kabi Kabi for hairpin honeysuckle.

Ms Jones said Sorry Day had gone a long way to providing more opportunities for indigenous people, but there was still work to be done.

"Today is about everybody acknowledging that things have been done that were wrong and they are trying to make it better for us. Specifically it's making our lives easier than they were for others before us," she said.

"The future is getting brighter for the younger generations. They are getting more opportunities in the workforce.

"They have more of an incentive to go to school and generally it's picking them up and making them feel better about themselves.

"A lot of people are now acknowledging what happened and they are coming out in great force. When you go out into the community to speak to 10 people, 30 people seem to be listening."

She said the success of young Aboriginal people such as rugby league star Johnathan Thurston and model Samantha Harris was inspiring for the young.

"We all need to work together in practical ways to change peoples' lives for the better," he said.

"Everyone can play a part in opening up these opportunities. I encourage individuals, businesses, organisations and schools to think about what reconciliation means and how they can get involved in an active and united effort to bring it into reality."